Anyone know about ESA and work school age children, please help.

[MamOfSteel]

I've got someone ringing me back, my husbands been on Income support and been moved onto ESA.

My youngest is 2 yrs 10 months and is at home full time, I also have other school age children.

They have reduced his money by 20% because I did not attend a 'work focused' interview (that I knew nothing about!!)

Do they expect me to go to work when I have a child at home and others to collect from school etc?

My husband cannot work and cannot look after my son/do school pick ups.

He was on income support but ATOS deemed him fit to work and he got moved to ESA.

Anyone? Am really nervous about them ringing.

I think they will expect one parent to be working at least. Im not sure though but dont worry yourself until you know anything.

You're expected to attend work focused interviews but you should have been notified about it. If you didn't receive a letter about it, you can appeal against the sanction . Get in touch with CAB as they can help you with the appeal. You can apply for a hardship payment while you are appealing.

Having a young child won't exempt you from attending the work focused interview. But the work focussed interviews for partners were brought in to see if there was any help or training that they could benefit from if they wanted to go back to work. Not to force them into work and remove your benefits. If you turn up and say that you're not in a position to seek work right now, they can't sanction you for that. But they can sanction you for not turning up in the first place.